


A Propensity For Destruction

by Pie_pecans_and_parrots



Series: How We Love In The Shadows [12]
Category: NCT (Band), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: ://, Alternate Universe - Shadow World Setting (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Angst, Arguing, Established Relationship, Fae & Fairies, Loyalty, M/M, Magic, Other, This Is Sad, Trouble In Paradise, Were-Creatures, Worldbuilding, cold sicheng, faerie!Sicheng, shadowhunter!Taeil, werewolf!yuta
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-02
Updated: 2019-02-02
Packaged: 2019-10-20 23:56:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17632199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pie_pecans_and_parrots/pseuds/Pie_pecans_and_parrots
Summary: Sicheng had always had a propensity to destroy the things around him.





	A Propensity For Destruction

The funeral rites of the fae were few. The bodies of faerie were returned to the earth – and all that remained was to remember the fallen.

Sicheng did not think he had the memory to remember all those he had lost.

Even now, he struggled to think past his half-brother, the bastard child of his mother, but no less his sibling. Here he could fault the culture of the fae, the coldness that grew over the years – because they were immortal, those around them, their relationships were taken for granted. Sicheng could only wish he had loved his brother better.

He knew he was worrying his mates. Yuta hadn’t left his side, and Taeil hadn’t stopped his pacing. Usually Taeil would be back out on the field, trying anything to ensure that this didn’t happen again – but Taeil wasn’t in good favour with the Institute anymore, and more often than not was removed from any important meetings.

It had not escaped Sicheng or Yuta’s notice how late the Shadowhunters had been to the battle by the lake. And they had certainly known of it – Sicheng knew that the High Warlock had been notified by Taeil, though why it had taken them so long to mobilize was anyone’s guess. Sicheng had his own.

The tensions between Downworlders and Shadowhunters had been rising before the sudden increment of demon activity – almost as if the attacks were a distraction from the hostility – and though there was an outward appearance of partnership, he could hazard a guess that a few less Downworlders would make it a lot easier for the Conclave to enforce the new Accords on what remained of the Downworld population.

He could never voice it to Taeil, who, despite his obvious ostracization, still believed in the  _goodness_  of his people. As if Shadowhunters were above racism and any nefarious plans. Whether or not the Shadowhunters had a direct hand in the demonic presence remained to be seen, but Sicheng could say with almost certainty, that they couldn’t have cared less about the affect of the demons upon the Downworld – and would most likely be happy about it.

Yuta had his own reasons to be furious with the Institute. Sicheng didn’t know Jaehyun very well, but had no doubt that the betrayal of his own Shadowhunter mate would have hurt him deeply. It had been a tense evening after the news had broken – and Sicheng had, for the very first time, seen Taeil truly enraged.

“-Baby, are you sure I can’t get you anything?” Sicheng broke his stare at Taeil’s back from where the Shadowhunter was pouring over old texts at the dinner table, to meet Yuta’s concerned gaze.

Sicheng, through his haze of frustration, guilt and distant sorrow, appreciated – not for the first time – the blatant affection and adoration in Yuta’s eyes. Yuta made love look easy – he had so much to give, and it was Yuta who had brought them together in the first place. “I’m fine, _bǎobèi._ Everything’s alright.”

Taeil tensed, head coming up slowly. “Is it?”

Yuta’s eyes went to Taeil instantly. “Tae…”

Taeil stood up, slamming the tome shut. Dust rose from the cover. He turned to them, face like thunder. “Don’t say everything’s alright. It’s not, Sicheng – the battle shouldn’t have lasted as long as it did, you shouldn’t have fought, you shouldn’t have lost your  _family,_  we should have gotten there-” Taeil cut himself off, evidently aware he was about to say too much. Sicheng couldn’t help but jump on it.

“You should have gotten there earlier.” He said coolly, and Taeil looked horrified. “We’re not fools, Taeil, the… disregard that the Institute has for us is evident. The battle just made it obvious.” Yuta was strangely silent. Sicheng knew that he was being irrationally cruel. Taeil had obviously come to the same realisation as him on his own. But Sicheng couldn’t help the childish need to hurt the nearest Shadowhunter for what they had done. Taeil was collateral damage.

“I know.  _By the angel_ , Sicheng, I know you aren’t fools.” Taeil moved closer. He looked beseeching, crouching down before them on the couch. “And you know how I feel about… their attitudes towards the Downworld.” He looked at Yuta then, who was avoiding his eyes. “Yuta…”

Yuta looked at him sharply. “Doyoung hurt Jaehyun. Bad. And now this? The Exo pack lost Luhan  _and_ Yifan, not to mention all the others we didn’t know. Don’t tell me this doesn’t look bad.”

“We’ve been over this – I  _swear_  I knew nothing about Doyoung.” Taeil said. Yuta looked away. Of course, it would come up – no one held a grudge like Yuta, and his pack was everything to him. “Yuta, Sicheng, you have to know that I didn’t want this-”

“Then why didn’t you come earlier?” Sicheng asked. It was unfair, to ask. Especially when they  _knew_  how closely Taeil was being monitored, how close he was to being brought in front of the Conclave. All the Institute needed was a reason.

Taeil gaped at him. Sicheng’s heart didn’t,  _couldn’t,_ soften. Yuta was too angry to be reasoned with, and Sicheng knew that Taeil could  _see_  him close off. But as Taeil stood up, running a hand over his cropped hair, Sicheng already wanted to call him back, to apologise. But all he could see were the runes on his skin, hear the words of the Conclave, smell the blood of his people, the ashes of his broken land.

Taeil slammed the door behind him as he left, the sound rousing Yuta, who stood abruptly, jaw working furiously as he struggled to contained his anger.

Sicheng was left alone on the couch. Alone with his cold, cold heart.

_They were fools to think this could work._

After all, what were they? Three souls stumbling through the dark, trying to work how to love in the shadows. After everything, it was foolish to think their union could last – the battle was a catalyst, and Sicheng was the trigger.

He flinched at the loud bang from the other room, followed by Yuta’s loud angry yell.

_Sicheng had always had a propensity to destroy the things around him._


End file.
